The Luminous Landscape Co-Founder Michael Reichmann Has Passed Away

Michael Reichmann, one of the co-founders of The Luminous Landscape has passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer.

When I was first starting out in photography, the pioneering Luminous Landscape was a big part of my education. Michael was a great photographer and passionate about the art right until the end. While I didn’t know him personally, everyone I spoke to that did, really enjoyed him as a person and as a photographer.

It is with a very heavy heart that I must share sad news with our readers and the rest of the photographic community. After an extended battle with cancer, the Founder of Luminous-Landscape, Michael Reichmann, has passed away. He was surrounded by family and friends over the last few weeks. He put up a valiant fight. He passed late on May 18th at age 71.

I considered Michael to be a dear friend, as did many of you. I traveled and photographed with him to many corners of the globe. His passion for photography was matched only by his love of sharing that passion with readers around the world.

Luminous-Landscape was started 17 years ago with his good friend Chris Sanderson. Together they made Luminous-Landscape one of the most respected websites for photographers.

For the last year Michael concentrated on his health and focused on growing the Luminous-Endowment. He started the Endowment knowing that this inevitable day would someday be here. The Endowment is his way of helping photographers be able to do photographic projects and further their passion in photography.

Chris and I are committed to keeping Luminous-Landscape moving forward as a resource for photographers, as well as to growing the Endowment. Our passion for what we do is now stronger than ever. Our promise to Michael was to make sure his legacy lived on.

If you wish to make a donation in his memory then please do so at the Endowment site. A small private service of close friends and family will be held late next week. Chris and I plan to hold a Memorial for the photographic community in honor of Michael and we will announce those plans here in the future.

For now, please remember Michael for his spirit and passion and as a man with a big heart, a huge smile and an amazing sense of humor. I’ll leave you with the words that many of us heard time and time again; it kind of became his trademark saying, “There is no shot here.”

Please remember Michael the next time you aim your camera at a magnificent landscape and click the shutter. I know each time I do I’ll be saying, ”This one is for you Michael”. Rest assured he would make sure all of us are blessed with good light and great photos.

If you wish to say something personal or send a message to the LuLa team or Michael’s family please email me atkwr@luminous-landscape.com. I’ll forward the messages to the family. Thank you.

Donations to the Endowment can be made here. Or if you wish you may send a check payable to The Luminous-Endowment at